Emma’s Favourite Albums of 2011

31 December 2011

My top 3 albums of 2011 come as a bit of a personal surprise. It seems that I’ve turned from ‘city slicker’ whose lullaby is a police siren to bucolic gal next door who feels nostalgic at the sound of a country drawl and a banjo.

3. Sparrow and the Workshop – Spitting Daggers
If you want folk and angst on the same platter then go no further than Sparrow and the Workshop’s stunning second album. A collection that offers joyful peaks and moody troughs plus a sack load of erratic guitar, bass, drums- the whole shebang really. It’s bold and it’s confident which leaves me thinking that lead singer Jill O’Sullivan could be heading to Karen O, or even PJ, like stardom. (review)

Faded Glory by Sparrow and the Workshop

2. Pearl and the Beard – Killing the Darlings
I started listening to Pearl and the Beard on Boxing Day and I haven’t had Killing the Darlings off since then. It’s nostalgic without you having to have been there, which is the key to my heart- take note potential suitors. Killing the Darlings is completely mesmerising and terribly intelligent, as well as being just a little bit on the side of twee. I’m glad that Mumford & Sons got there before Pearl and the Beard because I want to keep these all to myself.

Pearl and the Beard – Sweetness

1. PJ Harvey – Let England Shake
It will come as little surprise to most of you reading this that good ol’ Peej has taken the top spot in at least one of The Blue Walrus’ Top Albums of 2011 Lists. I’d go as far to say that I’d be a little disappointed with the rest of the crew if they haven’t mentioned PJ at all in their lists this year but that’s another problem for a less festive day. For any artist to attempt to describe a whole country, especially one with so many idiosyncrasies and identities, is commendable even if it does fail miserably. For someone to succeed whilst allowing for their own personal take to be embellished throughout AND to win their second Mercury Music Prize for it must be a goddess.

Written On The Forehead by PJ Harvey

Jessica Jalbert – Brother Loyola

By: emma.r.weston

28 October 2011

In: News & Leaks, Reviews

1 comment

Jessica Jalbert

Brother Loyola is the debut album from Jessica Jalbert (twitter/bandcamp) and what a way for the Canadian songstress to make an entrance. Released this week, Brother Loyola takes you on a journey of enchantment where Jalbert offers an insight into the peaceful melancholia of her thoughts.

At times it’s difficult to understand why Jessica’s vocals are so detached when the lyrics are obviously extremely personal. Once you learn that she’s the shyest thing on the planet it all begins to make a little more sense and she becomes that little bit more endearing. If that’s even possible.

Necromancy is a peaceful album opener quite haunting at times but organic in its sound. With the title referring to the blackest of the black arts- reawakening the dead- it’s odd that such a peaceful song would follow. Jalbert might be urging for a loved one to return, or maybe she’s missing a part of the past that will never return. Whatever the content, Necromancy is a track that provides tranquil acceptance to Jessica, to me and maybe to you.

Whatever Whoever is an upbeat track that supplies a degree of despondency with a handful of uncanny. With garage rock guitars, it’s one of the strongest songs on the album sounding like a mixture of Kimya Dawson and Regina Spektor. This one really is a gem. Paris Green is again one of Jalbert’s stronger and louder songs, which offers that dream-like peacefulness. O Evening Colours incorporates grungey guitars, that even Billy Corgan would be proud of, with heartfelt, watery vocals.

Brother Loyola switches from sensitive to epic and back again with the nonchalant vocals always remaining a constant. Jalbert is definitely going to appear on the soundtrack of the next Zach Braff film with a protagonist who’s loosely based on Holden Caulfield. If this has put you off, it really shouldn’t. It’s a beautifully constructed debut showing that Jalbert has a lot to offer; hopefully her shyness won’t stop her!

[BUY] Jessica Jalbert – Brother Loyola on MP3 | CD | VINYL

Lack of a Lake by Jessica Jalbert
Necromancy by Jessica Jalbert
Paris Green by Jessica Jalbert

S.C.U.M. – Again Into Eyes

By: emma.r.weston

27 October 2011

In: News & Leaks, Reviews

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Scum - Again Into Eyes

I saw S.C.U.M (facebook/twitter) a few months back supporting The Kills in London and decided that they were the most pretentious band on the planet and weren’t talented enough to be that pompous. I was filled with such irrational hatred that I had to walk away and have a stiff drink and a cigarette. I don’t think I was the only one to think it either. 100% happy that my ageing head wouldn’t remember their stupid bloody pretentious name or the lead singer’s arrogant face or how much the keyboardist looked like the fella from Suede, I got on with my life.

So how violated I felt when today I was browsing the World Wide Web and stumbled across S.C.U.M. Of course they’re named after a radical feminist book calling for the elimination of the male sex. And of course it was meant to be ironic. Can you see why they pissed me off to begin with?

After hovering over the link to their MySpace for about half an hour I decided to take the plunge and to my clichéd dismay, their post punk, dream synth infusion is fantastic and very Horrors-ish. Not only do they have family ties to the Horrors but high cheekbones, sleek hairstyles and guyliner make you wonder whether they’re Faris’ army after all. Another upsetting truth is that ‘arrogant lead singer’, Thomas Cohen, is definitely going to be the next mysterious and misunderstood poster boy. Resembling a younger Nick Cave in both looks and stage presence, I’m starting to warm to his flamboyant overconfidence. His voice it pretty good too.

Whitechapel sucks you in with intriguing organ type synths where then Cohen’s vocals enter backed with choir singers; it really does sound like something straight out of ‘Jesus: The Musical’ that slowly crosses into an ambient 1980s influenced masterpiece. Summon the Sound is a much more upbeat song, which does disappoint with the fact that it sounds like a Horrors demo.

It’s difficult to get away from the similarities between both bands and sometimes this is infuriating. There are times, however, when S.C.U.M really come into their own and offer something new and a notch or two better than their goth counterparts. Album opener, Faith Unfolds and Cast Into Seasons gives a low tempo, atmospheric and at times, emotionally overwhelming experience. Paris again offers another dimension to new album, Again Into Eyes. It’s elegant in its execution with haunting piano and spectral vocals. Amber Hands is one of the only songs on the album which consciously incorporates guitars and more distinctive drums.

It would have been a more entertaining album if, instead of weak album fillers that all followed a similar formula, there were a few stronger, up-tempo tracks. At least the weaker tracks on Again Into Eyes allow for the solider tracks to make more of an impact.

All in all, S.C.U.M aren’t the most dynamic of bands but they offer a great album that is subtly entertaining. Again Into Eyes is a contemplative album full to the brim with moody synthesisers and offering a nostalgic 80s twist to a very modern band.

S.C.U.M. – Again Into Eyes is out now on Mute

[BUY] S.C.U.M. – Again Into Eyes on MP3 (iTunes) | CD | VINYL

S.C.U.M – Amber Hands
S.C.U.M – Summon The Sound
S.C.U.M – Amber Hands (demo)
S.C.U.M – Paris (Signals)